Cablevision Files Antitrust Suit Against Viacom Over BundlingPosted by TigerinATL on 2/26/13 at 4:17 pm

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quote:Cablevision Systems Corp., one of the nation's biggest pay-TV distributors, has filed a lawsuit against Viacom, parent of popular cable channels such as MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central.

At issue is how Viacom sells its cable networks to pay-TV distributors. Cablevision said Viacom forces it to carry low-rated channels in return for access to its stronger networks.

“The manner in which Viacom sells its programming is illegal, anti-consumer, and wrong," Cablevision charged in a statement. Viacom, the company claimed, "effectively forces Cablevision’s customers to pay for and receive little-watched channels in order to get the channels they actually want."

Cablevision went on to say that "Viacom’s abuse of its market power is not only illegal, but also prevents Cablevision from delivering the programming that its customers want and that compete with Viacom’s less popular channels.” The suit was filed in federal court in New York.